422 A HISTORY OF PERSIA. in afterwards seizing his wife and arbitrarily detaining her, for the sole purpose of affronting Mr. Murray ; and now from his refusing to take advantage of an offer by which Hashem Khan's connection with the British Mission would have been for ever terminated one is almost forced to believe that the conduct of the Sedr- Azem was dictated by a desire to bring about a tem- porary rupture of diplomatic relations between the English and Persian governments. After a short delay had been asked and conceded, for the purpose of taking into consideration Mr. Murray's proposal, the Persian government refused to agree to it. The Sedr-Azem had been taught to believe that England had at this time enough upon her hands, and that it was certain she would not go to war with Persia ; there was, therefore, he thought, no great danger in breaking off friendly intercourse with the British Government. It may have been, and it probably was, the Sedr-Azem 's first intention to follow up the rupture by overtures of joining Eussia ; but as the year 1855 wore on, there seemed less and less temptation for Persia to do so. The Sedr-Azem, however, thought that he saw a good opportunity for seizing Herat, whilst Great Britain should still be engaged in war. Mr. Murray was induced to accord a further delay to the Shah's Ministers for the purpose of their coming to a decision ; the Turkish charge d'affaires volunteering to use his influence to bring the Shah's government to a sense of just dealing. A still further delay was granted at the request of the representative of France ; who, from the intimate alliance of his country with England, was entitled to be informed of the progress of the quarrel. The Sedr-Azem now showed himself to be utterly
